Genital human papillomavirus infection among male and female sex partners: prevalence and type-specific concordance.

Abstract

Penile, cervical, and vulvovaginal samples from 50 couples attending a sexually transmitted disease clinic and perianal samples from women only were tested for human papillomavirus (HPV) DNA by dot filter hybridization (DFH) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Only 18% of women and 4% of men were HPV-positive by DFH, but 72% of women and 63% of men were HPV-positive by PCR. HPV type-specific concordance between partners was more common than predicted by chance (P = .01) and was associated with detection of HPV DNA by DFH in either partner. Thus, genital HPV infection in this population is common in both men and women, and the HPV type-specific concordance in sex partners is consistent with sexual transmission. Higher levels of genital or perianal HPV, as reflected by detection of HPV DNA with the less-sensitive DFH method, may promote sexual transmission.